Animated figure toy

ABSTRACT

A doll includes a torso to which a head and arms are resiliently connected for movement with respect to the torso when the doll is jiggled or bounced. The doll is seated on a seat which is rocked from side-to-side by a suitable motor provided in a toy vehicle, musical instrument or the like.

United States Patent Hartling et al.

154] ANIMATED FIGURE TOY [72] Inventors: Donald C. Hartling, Garden Grove; Joseph Kossoff, Hawthorne; William Radin, Palos Verdes Peninsula, all of Calif.

[73] Assignee: Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif. [22] Filed: March 2, 1970 1211 Appl. No.: 15,539

[52] U.S.Cl ..46/ll8 151 1111.01. ..A63h 5/00 51; Field ofSearch ..46/1 18, 101, 107, 106, 221, 46/98, 99, 104, 144, 223

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,232,003 2/1966 Doe ..46/107 X 1,604,206 10/1926 Tilton ..46/107 3,481,072 12/1969 Stohrer ..46/244 1,742,844 1/1930 Berger ..46/144 2,641,869 6/1953 Raze ..46/107 X 51 Oct. 17,1972

2,775,848 1/1957 Isaacson ..46/106 X 1,681,666 8/1928 Higgins ..-......46/99 2,616,215 11/1952 Martial et a1. ..46/118 X 2,016,782 10/1935 l-lepaner ..46/101 X 3,238,665 3/1966 Doe ..46/107 2,603,913 7/1952 Ernst ..46/107 X 3,462,880 8/1969 Tomaro ..46/104 X 3,046,695 7/1962 Henrickson et al ..46/104 2,494,681 1/1950 Wisoff ..46/98 3,019,550 2/1962 Berberich ..46/107 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-D. L. Weinholld Attorney-Seymour A. Scholnick [57] ABSTRACT A doll includes a torso to which a head and arms are resiliently connected for movement with'respect to the torso when the doll is jiggled or bounced. The doll is seated on a seat which is rocked from side-to-side by a suitable motor provided in a toy vehicle, musical instrument or the like.

7 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDum 11 m2 SHEET 3 [IF 5 PATENTEDum n 1912 SHEET 5 [IF 5 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the invention willbe set forth in two parts.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Tilton US. Pat. No. 1,604,206 is one example in the prior art of a figure toy comprising sections joined together by coil springs. Movement is imparted to the figure toy by a platform which is moved up-and-down by a crank on the rear axle of a pull toy. The figure toy is mounted on the platform and grotesque movement of the figure toy and the sections thereof may result as the toy is drawn over a support as a floor, sidewalk or the like.

The present invention exemplified improvements over the prior art and includes a figure toy having realistic movements. I

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful animated figure toy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a figure toy which will be animated in a realistic manner when a seat in which the figure toy sits is rocked from side-to-side.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a new and useful figure toy and self-powered vehicle combination.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, a figure toy is provided in the form of a doll including first and second body portions connected together by resilient means. The first body portion may comprise the dolls torso and the second body portions may comprise its head and arms. The doll is supported on a seat which may be rocked from side-to-side by a suitable motor means driving a circular cam and supplying power to a vehicle in which the seat is mounted. The seat includes a cam follower which rides on the cam and the cam is designed to impart realistic motions to the seat causing the head and arms of the doll to jiggle in a realistic manner. a

In a second embodiment of the present invention, the doll is seated in a seat at an air-operated toy organ. An electric motor in the organ oscillates a bar which rocks the seat from side-to-side.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several .views.

BRIEFDESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa doll and vehicle combination constituting a first embodiment of the present invention and having parts broken away to show internal construction of the doll;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional viewtaken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view. taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, partial. cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, partial elevational view of the doll shown in FIG. 1 with parts broken away to show internal construction;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a doll and toy organ combination constituting a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 ofFIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1l-11 ofFIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring again to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, a doll and vehicle combination constituting a first embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 10, includes a doll 12 of the type disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 785,884, filed Dec. 23, 1968. This co-pending application is held by the assignee of the instant application and is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Doll 12 includes a torso 14, a head 16, a pair of arms 18, 20 and a pair of legs 22, 24 (FIG. 7). The torso 14 may sometimes be referred to herein as a first body portion and the head 16 and arms 18, 20 may be referred to as a second body portion. Additionally, head 16 and arms 18, 20 may sometimes be referred to as limb means.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 7,. head 16 and arms 18, 20 may be connected to torso 14 by an armature 26 having a central portion 28 and three elongated armature portions 30, 32 and 34. Head 16 and arms 18, 20 are constructed for unrestrained pivoting and movement toward and away from torso 14, within a wide range, by providing sufficient clearance between them, so that within this range, their movement is governed substantially by armature 26. Armature 26 is constructed of a resilient material, such as rubber or other elastomeric material, and is thick enough to support head 16 and arms 18, 20 in a quisescent position rather than to merely allow them to hang limply.

Referring now more in particular to FIG. 7, armature 26 is designed to pivot head 16 about axes passing approximately through a point 36 near the center of the neck portion 38 of head 16. Armature portions 32, 34 are designed to pivot arms 18, 20 about axes that pass through points 40, 42, respectively. The head pivot point 36 is located approximately at the point about which a person turns his head to look up or down or to tilt it to one side. The arm pivot points are at approximately the location of the joints in the human body about which the entire arms pivot.

As also shown in FIG. 7, torso 14 includes a rear housing section 44 provided with a bracket 46 holding the central portion 28 of armature 26 in slots 48, 50 and 52 provided in bracket 46. The housing section 44 is also provided with a pair of bracket members 54, 56 supporting the elongated armature portions 32, 34, respectively. The pivot points 40, 42 for arms 18, 20 are located just outside of the positions of their associated bracket members 54, 56 in positions corresponding to the location of the ball-and-socket joint in a human body that joins the upper arm to the trunk. When doll 12 is picked up or shaken, the arms 18, 20 pivot in a natural manner.

Head 16 contains a plug member 58 joining head 16 to armature portion 30. Plug member 58 includes a cylindrical outer shell 60 held within neck portion 38 by a flange 62 provided at the end thereof. Plug member 58 also includes an inner tube portion 64 surrounding an outer section 66 of armature portion 30. Armature portion 30 also includes a section 68 of reduced diameter enabling firm engagement with the walls of slot 48 in bracket 46. Further out is a section 70 of increased diameter, a section 72 of reduced diameter and enlarged portions 74, 76. Portions 74, 76 firmly engage the inner tube portion 64. The insertion of the armature through tube portion 64 is aided by a tapered end 78.

The sections 80, 82 where the arm armatures are held by arm supports 84, 86, respectively have small splines permitting arm supports 84, 86 to slip on the armatures when the arms are twisted more than about 90 from their quiescent position, so that the arms may be posed.-

Referring now to FIGS. l-3, the doll and vehicle combination 10 also includes a vehicle 90 having a body 92 provided with simulated headlights 94, 96, front fenders 98, and rear fenders 102, 104 (FIG. 2).

Vehicle 90 also includes four wheels, like the ones shown at 106, 108 in FIG. 1, which are rotatably connected to body 92 by L-shaped axles, like the ones shown at 110 in FIG. 8, Each axle 110 includes a long leg 112 frictionally engaged in a socket 114 provided in body 92 and a short leg 116 rotatably supporting an associated one of the wheels 106, 108 which is retained in position thereon by a push nut ll8 simulating a hub cap.

A doll seat 120 is swingably mounted in body 92 on a front pivot pin 122 and a rear pivot pin 124 journaled in bearings 126, 128 provided in a front wall portion 130 and a rear wall portion 132, respectively, provided on body 92. The front pivot pin 122 carries a steering wheel 134 and is prevented from moving axially by an annular shoulder 136 trapped in an annular chamber 138 formed between front wall 130 and a front wall portion 140 on seat 120. The front wall portion 140 of seat 120 is provided with openings 142, 144 which accommodate the legs 22, 24, respectively, of doll 12.

The portion of vehicle 90 which comprises the body and the wheels 106, 108 may be played with as a pull toy by attaching a suitable string to a hitch member 146, (FIG. 1) provided on the front of body 92. In this event, vehicle 90 will travel over a supporting surface on wheels 106, 108. Alternatively, body 92 may be mounted on a prime mover 148 (FIGS. 2 and 3) for supplying power to move vehicle 90. In this event, wheels 106, 108 will be elevated from the supporting surface while vehicle 90 travels on a set of wheels, to be hereinafter described, carried by prime mover 148. Prime mover 148 includes a housing 150 having an encompassing side wall 152 to which a rectangular post 154 (FIGS. 3 and 4) and a triangular post 156 (FIGS. 3 and 5) are attached by stiffeners 158 and 160, respectively. Body 92 may be quickly connected to prime mover 148 by engaging rectangular post 154 in a rectangular aperture 162 on body 92 and by snapping a V-shaped latch 164, which is provided on body 92, over post 156. The front of body 92 carries a stiffener plate 166 which engages the top of prime mover 148 lending additional support to body 92 when it is in position on prime mover 148.

Prime mover 148 is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, as comprising a programmable vehicle of the type disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 15,669, filed Mar. 21, 1970. This copending application is held by the assignee of the in stant application and is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The programmable vehicle shown in said copending application has been modified, however, for the present invention by adding to it a rotatable cam 168 which is rotatably mounted on a hollow, cylindrical upstanding post 170 carried by a horizontal partition 172 provided in housing 150. Cam 168 is journaled on post 170 by a cylindrical bearing 174 depending from a bottom wall portion 176 of cam 168. A snap 184 engaged in an opening 186 is provided in the top of hollow post 170 for retaining cam 168 in position on post 170 without inhibiting the rotation of cam 168.

Prime mover 148 is powered by an electric motor 188 having an output gear 190 drivingly engaging the large diameter portion 192 of a gear 194 having a small diameter portion 196 drivingly engaging the large diameter portion 198 of a gear 200 having a small diameter portion 202 drivingly engaging a ring gear 204 on a single traction wheel 206 which drives prime mover 148. Traction wheel 206 is rotatably mounted in housing 150 on an axle 208 and carries a conical gear 210 (FIG. 3) drivingly engaging a matching conical gear 212 having an output shaft-214 supplying power to a pinion gear 216 drivingly engaging a ring gear 218 carried by cam 168. This imparts rotation to cam 168 causing its irregular teeth 220 to engage a cam follower 222 carried by seat 120 and biased into engagement with teeth 220 by a coil spring 224 having a first end engaging a fixed post 226 depending from body 92 and a second end 228 engaging a post 230 carried by cam follower 222. Teeth 220 are of varying depths for imparting an irregular rocking side-to-side motion to seat 120 in simulation of a vehicle traveling over a rough road.

Prime mover 148 includes a pair of steering wheels 232, 234 (FIG. 3) which are turnable about a vertical axis for controlling the direction of travel of prime mover 148 as it is propelled over a suitable surface 236 by powered wheel 206 which is provided with a resilient tire 238 improving traction on surface 236.

Wheels 232, 234 are connected together by a tie bar 240 which is slidably mounted on partition 172 and which is provided with an elongated slot 242 engaged over a pin 244 carried by a steering cam 246 swingably connected to partition 172 by a pin 248 joumaled in a bearing 250 formed integrally with partition 172. Unwanted shifting of tie bar 240 is prevented by a detent spring 252 having a first end 254 connected to a fixed post 256 and a second end 258 sprung into engagement with tie bar 240 by a clip 260 carried by housing 150 and reinforced by a stiffening rib 262.

The position of steering cam 246 is controlled by a plurality of pins, like the ones shown at 264, 266, which may be engaged in selected ones of a plurality of apertures provided in hollow bosses depending from cam 168. Prime mover 148 may be programmed to automatically travel over a course predetermined by the positions of pins 264, 266 with respect to a set of upstanding fingers 270 on steering cam 246. Pins 264, 266 may engage certain fingers 270 to swing steering cam 246 in such a manner that it will move tie bar 240 to steer prime mover 148 to the right. Alternatively, pins 264, 266 may engage other fingers 270 to steer prime mover 148 to the left or may not engage any fingers 270 permitting prime mover 148 to continue on a straight course. Pins 264, 266 may be connected to snap member 182 by flexible bands 272, 274, respectively, to prevent pins 264, 266 from being lost when they are removed from bosses 268.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 6, flow of electric current to motor 188 may be controlled by a switch means 276 including a switch lever 278 (FIGS. 3 and 6) swingably mounted in an opening 280 provided in housing 150 for actuation by a switch-actuating rod 282 rotatably mounted in a bearing 284 (FIG. 2) affixed to vehicle body 92. Rod 282 includes a first end 286 (FIG. 3) engageable with switch lever 278 and a second end 288 (FIG. 1) connected to a rod-rotating member 290 shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, as a simulated butterfly. Rod 282 is biased into engagement with a stop pin 292 (FIG. 2 and 6) by a return spring 294 having a first leg 296 engaging rod 282 and a second leg 298 engaging a stiffening member 300 connecting pin 292 to bearing 284. Switch lever 278 may be moved to an ON position by swinging it in the direction of arrow 302 when rodrotating member 290 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, causing end 286 of rod 282 to swing in the direction of arrow 304. Lever 278 is automatically moved to an OFF position at the end of an operating cycle programmed into prime mover 148 by pins 264, 266 by suitable means as shown and described in said copending application Ser. No. 15,669.

Switch means 276 may be connected to motor 188 by a first lead 306 having a first end 308 connected to motor 188 and a second end 310 connected to an electrical contact 312 connected to housing 150 by a rivet 314 and by a second lead 316 having a first end 318 connected to motor 188 and a second end (not shown) connected to switch lever 278 by suitable means (not shown).

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 9-11 wherein the doll 12 is shown in combination with a toy organ 310 including a housing 312 mounted on a hollow, rectangular platform 314. Platform 314 includes a top wall 316 which supports a doll seat 318 rockably mounted thereon by a first frusto-conical member 320 affixed to platform 316 and a second frusto-conical member 322 affixed to seat 318. A rod 324 depends from seat 318 through an aperture 326, provided in top wall 316 into engagement with a flat bar 328 having a mid portion 330 pivotally connected to a fixed cylindrical boss 332 by a pivot pin 334. Bar 328 includes a bifurcated end 336 engaging a crank pin 338 carried by a crank gear 340 drivingly en gaged by a worm gear 342 carried by an output shaft 344 on a motor 346.

Seat shaft 324 may be provided with a spherical enlargement 348 to prevent seat 318 from being removed from frusto-conical member 320. When motor 346 is energized, crank pin 338 will oscillate end 350 against shaft 324 rocking seat 318 to one side. A spring 352, which has a first end 354 connected to seat 318 and a second end 356 connected to top wall 316, then rocks seat 318 to the other side. Motor 346 may comprise an electric motor connected to a suitable source of current by leads 358, 360. I

Although the particular animated toys herein shown and described in detail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An animated toy comprising:

a support;

a seat pivotally mounted on said support, about a generally horizontal axis, for rocking movement;

a figure toy seated on said seat and comprising body portions joined by resilient means for relative movement in response to rocking of said seat;

a cam member movably mounted on said support and having a plurality of camming portions of different sizes and configurations;

a cam follower on said seat, offset from said axis and extending into the path of movement of said camming portions whereby to rock said seat about said axis in differing amounts as said cam member moves on said support; and

means for moving said cam member relative to said support.

2. A figure toy as stated in claim 1 wherein said first and second body portions are constructed for unrestrained pivoting relative to each other within a wide angle and unrestrained movement toward and away from each other within a limited distance and wherein said resilient means comprises an armature of resilient material joining said body portions maintain them at a predetermined quiescent relative position while allow ing oscillations about said position.

3. The figure toy described in claim 2 wherein said armature includes spaced first and second portions joined to said first and second body portions, respectively, and first and second armature sections between said spaced portions, said first armature section having a greater diameter than said second armature section to Y locate a pivot point for relative rotation of said body portions substantially at said second armature section.

4. The toy described in claim 3 wherein said first and second body portions comprise a torso and a head, respectively, and wherein said second armature section is closer to said head than said first armature section, whereby to enable location of the head pivot point substantially along the neck rather than where the neck joins the torso.

5. An animated toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said support is configured to simulate a musical instrument.

6. An animated toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said support is a toy vehicle, said means for moving said cam comprising motor means arranged to also propel said toy vehicle.

7. An animated toy comprising:

a toy wheeled vehicle;

a seat pivotally mounted on said vehicle, about a generally horizontal axis, for rocking movement;

a figure toy seated on said seat and comprising body portions joined by resilient means for relative movement in response to rocking of said seat;

a rotary cam rotatably mounted on said vehicle below said seat and having a plurality of upstanding camming portions of different sizes and configurations;

a depending cam follower on said seat, offset from said axis and extending into the path of movement of said camming portions whereby to rock said seat about said axis in differing amounts as said cam member moves on said support; and

motor means for rotating said cam member and simultaneously propelling said vehicle. 

1. An animated toy comprising: a support; a seat pivotally mounted on said support, about a generally horizontal axis, for rocking movement; a figure toy seated on said seat and comprising body portions joined by resilient means for relative movement in response to rocking of said seat; a cam member movably mounted on said support and having a plurality of camming portions of different sizes and configurations; a cam follower on said seat, offset from said axis and extending into the path of movement of said camming portions whereby to rock said seat about said axis in differing amounts as said cam member moves on said support; and means for moving said cam member relative to said support.
 2. A figure toy as stated in claim 1 wherein said first and second body portions are constructed for unrestrained pivoting relative to each other within a wide angle and unrestrained movement toward and awAy from each other within a limited distance and wherein said resilient means comprises an armature of resilient material joining said body portions maintain them at a predetermined quiescent relative position while allowing oscillations about said position.
 3. The figure toy described in claim 2 wherein said armature includes spaced first and second portions joined to said first and second body portions, respectively, and first and second armature sections between said spaced portions, said first armature section having a greater diameter than said second armature section to locate a pivot point for relative rotation of said body portions substantially at said second armature section.
 4. The toy described in claim 3 wherein said first and second body portions comprise a torso and a head, respectively, and wherein said second armature section is closer to said head than said first armature section, whereby to enable location of the head pivot point substantially along the neck rather than where the neck joins the torso.
 5. An animated toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said support is configured to simulate a musical instrument.
 6. An animated toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said support is a toy vehicle, said means for moving said cam comprising motor means arranged to also propel said toy vehicle.
 7. An animated toy comprising: a toy wheeled vehicle; a seat pivotally mounted on said vehicle, about a generally horizontal axis, for rocking movement; a figure toy seated on said seat and comprising body portions joined by resilient means for relative movement in response to rocking of said seat; a rotary cam rotatably mounted on said vehicle below said seat and having a plurality of upstanding camming portions of different sizes and configurations; a depending cam follower on said seat, offset from said axis and extending into the path of movement of said camming portions whereby to rock said seat about said axis in differing amounts as said cam member moves on said support; and motor means for rotating said cam member and simultaneously propelling said vehicle. 